Paper feeding mechanism for printing machines



April 10, 1934. A. w. HARRIES 1,954,734

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 2, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR uZrZ'har W li a/rrias' By WM 4 MM ATTORN E Y6 April 10, 1934. A. w. HARRIES PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 2, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IL! 11| lllllllllllllflmlllll Illillll EEK-3 I! Ulllll AUTO/F/VEKK! Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Arthur William Harries, Twickenham, England 8 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for feeding paper through printing machines and has for its object to provide means whereby the paper may be fed intermittently in machines where the operation is divided into printing and nonprinting periods so as to ensure a cessation of the paper feed during the non-printing period.

To attain this result, according to the present invention, the rotation of the paper feed roller shaft is controlled by friction driving mechanism co-operating with a pawl and ratchet gear whereby an intermittent rotary motion is imparted to the feed roller shaft, means being provided for setting the mechanism so that the periods during which this shaft is rotated and the paper fed through correspond to the printing operation.

But in order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into practice refplication, Serial Number 645,489, filed Dec. 2,

1932, but it is obviously also applicable tomachines of the platen type where it is desirable to have an intermittent paper feed. 7

In the said drawings in which similar reference characters relate to like parts in all the fig? ures:-

Figure 1 is a general view of the machine in elevation showing mainly the parts affected by the invention.

Figure 2 shows the arrangement for driving the feed roller shaft from the intermediate shaft driven from the cylinder impression shaft and Figure 3 is a plan view of same Figure 4 is a partial section on the line AB Figure 3 and 1 Figure 5 shows the spring-controlled pawl.

On the impression cylinder shaft a is mounted a sprocket wheel I) that transmits motion by the driving chain c to the sprocket wheel at on the intermediate shaft e. A sprocket wheel transmits the motion of the shaft e to the sprocket wheel g of smaller diameter whereby this wheel g is constantly driven in the direction of the arrow :0. Fixed to the shaft e is a mutilated gear wheel h with a partially toothed rim and a simi'- lar wheel is is loosely mounted on the paper feed roller shaft in the teeth of these two wheels being adapted to intermesh as hereinafter described.

The sprocket wheel or is mounted loose on the sleeve 12 integral with the wheel and friction discs, one of which is shown at o, are interposed between the wheels g and 7c and between the Wheel 9 and a disc p. A friction drive is thus constituted betweenthe wheelsg and 7c the out- 613 ward thrust of which is absorbed by a springcontrolled buffer q.

Fixed to the shaft m is a ratchet wheel 1' the teeth of which are engaged by the pawl s that is pivotally mounted in the housing If fixed to the wheel is and loosely mounted on the shaft m adjacent to the wheel 1' is a setting wheel u on which is mounted a shrouding ring 12 that can be set by rotation of the wheel u so that only a definite number of teeth of the ratchet wheel 1" 70 are exposed.

To adjust the setting wheel u the detentw is freed from the notch 2 in which it is engaged and the wheel is rotated in the direction of the arrow :13. The distance between the notches 2 in the rim of the wheel u is proportioned according to the length of the sheet to be printed which sheet length determines the extent of the efiectivesurface of the impression cylinder and the wheel u is set accordingly and the detent w engaged with the requisite notch 2.

By this means the shrouding ring 12 is so fixed that only a certain number of the teeth of the ratchet wheel r are exposed which determines the extent of the rotation of the wheel r and of the shaft m in the direction of the arrow :11 to feed the paper to the impression cylinder only during the printing operation.

This will be clear when it is appreciated that as the sprocket wheel g is constantly driven in the direction of the arrow .r, the wheel h on the shaft e rotates and the wheel is through the friction drive is also driven in the same direction but the wheels h and is do not engage and the pawl s carried on the wheel it passes idly over the exposed teeth of the ratchet wheel 1.

When the teeth of the gear wheels h and k intermesh which corresponds to the commencement of the printing period, the wheel k is driven in the direction of the arrow y, overcoming the resistance of the friction drive, and through the pawl s the ratchet wheel 1 and consequently the shaft m is rotated in the same direction. The feed roller shaft m thus rotates through a definite angle and feeds the paper through until the pawl s is raised by coming into contact with the cam surface 0' of the shrouding ring 21 mounted on the setting Wheel u.

The friction drive between the sprocket wheel g and the wheel 7s again comes into operation as soon as the mutilated gears disengage, the wheel it rotates in the direction of the arrow :0 and the pawl s is returned travelling over the exposed teeth of the ratchet wheel 1' which is now stationary, the difference in diameter between the wheels 1 and g facilitating a rapid return of the wheel is and pawl 5'.

Thus it will be seen that the feed roller shaft m is intermittently rotated so that the paper is fed to the impression cylinder in correspondence with its effective printing surface and that the feed of the paper ceases during the non-printing period.

The pawl s is not only controlled by the blade spring 3 which bears against the pin 4 and thereby tends to keep the pawl in engagement with the teeth of the wheel 1" but also the pin 5 on which it is pivoted is slidably mounted in the housing t and bears against a plunger 6 compressing a-helical spring 7 which thus acts as a cushioning device to absorb the shock when the pawl s engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel r. (Figure 5) Pivotally'mounted on a pin 22 on the wheel isa lever l21'the lower .end of which is keptin engagement'with the ratchet wheel 1' by the washer 23 of rubber or other similar material whilst its upper end is formed with an inclined cam surface 24 that bears against the pin 4 on the pawl 8 (Figures 2 and 4).

When the direction of rotation of the wheel is is reversed, from direction of arrow 3 to that of arrow .r, the lever 21 is rocked. on its pivot 22 and due to the cam surface 24 the pawl s is raised and is maintained out of contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 1' during the idle return movement of the pawl.

Mounted on the shafte is a cam 8 the peripheral surface of which acts on the roller 9 carried on the rod 10 the outer end of which is'pivoted to one end of the link 11 the other end of which and oneend of the bar 12 being pivoted on a pin 13 mounted in the side frame 14. One end of the spring .15 .is attached to the pin 16 on the frame .llwhilethe other end is secured to the pin 17 .on an extensionof the link 11.

The other end of the bar 12 carries a pin 18 which contacts with and carries the rear of the pawl s duringthe backward idle movement of the pawl on rotationof the wheel is in the direction of the arrow as, while the rollerl9 isin contact'with the high part '19 of the cam 8. The nose 20 of thecamB striking the roller 9 tends to ensure the teeth of the wheels h and 7c coming into engagee ment and the wheel lc'with'the pawl s rotates in the opposite direction (arrow 11).

What I claim is 1. A printing machine comprising a printing mechanism, a feed roller shaft, a mutilated gear wheel, a second mutilated gear wheel loosely mounted upon said feed roller shaft, driving means between said printing mechanism and said second mutilated gear wheel for rotating the latterin one direction during the non-printing period, .said'means including a friction clutch, said first Vrnutilated gear wheel being continuously driven by.-said printing mechanism and adapted during the printing period to mesh with said second mutilated gear wheel to overcome the force of saidclutch to rotate the second mutilated gear wheel in a direction opposite to its first mentioned direction of rotation, a ratchet wheel fixed to said feed roller shaft, a pawl movable with said second mutilated gear wheel and adapted during the printing period to cooperate with the teeth of the ratchet wheel and thereby rotate the latter to rotate the feed roller shaft to feed the paper through the machine, and disengaging means for moving the pawl out of engagement with the teeth on the ratchet wheel.

2. A printing machine comprising an impression cylinder shaft constantly driven in one direction, a paper feed .roller shaft, a mutilated gear wheel loosely mounted on said feed roller shaft,

an intermediate shaft constantly driven by said impression cylinder shaft, a driving connection between said intermediate shaft and said mutilated gear wheel and including a friction clutch for rotating said mutilated gear wheel in one direction during the non-printing period, a second mutilated gear wheel fixed to said intermediate shaft, the teeth of said mutilated gear wheels adapted to=mesh during the printing period to r0- tate the first mutilated gear wheel in a direction opposite to its first mentioned direction of rotation, a ratchet wheel fixed to said feed :roller shaft, .a pawl movable with said first mutilated gear wheel and adapted to ride idly over the teeth of said ratchet wheel when the first mutilated gear wheel is rotating in its first mentioned direction and to cooperate with the teeth of the ratchet wheel to rotate the latter and the feed roller shaft when the first mutilated gear wheel is rotated in its second direction, and a setting wheel loosely mounted on said feed roller shaftandhaving a shrouding ring the position of which with respect to the ratchet wheel determines the length of time the pawl remains in operative connection with the teeth of the ratchet wheel.

'3. 'A printing machine comprising an impression cylinder shaft constantly driven in one direction, a paper feed roller shaft, a mutilated gear wheel loosely mounted on said feed roller shaft, an intermediate shaft constantly driven by said impression cylinder shaft, a driving connection between said intermediate shaft and said multilated gear wheel and including a friction clutch for rotating said mutilated gear wheel in one direction during the non-printing period, a second multilated gear wheel fixed to said intermediate shaft, the teeth of said multilated gear wheels adapted'to mes'hduring the printing period torotate the first multilated gear wheel in a direction opposite to its first mentioned direction of rotation, a ratchet wheel fixed to said feed roller shaft, a pawl movable with said first mutilated gear wheel and adapted to ride idly over the teeth of said ratchet wheel when the first mutilated'gear wheel is rotating in its first mentioned direction and to cooperate with the teeth of the ratchet wheel to rotate the latter and the feed roller shaft when the first mutilated gear wheel is rotated in its second direction, a setting wheel loosely mounted on said feed roller shaft andhaving a shrouding ring the position of which with respect to the ratchet wheel determines the length of time the pawl remains in operative connection with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, indicating means on said setting wheel and proportioned to the length of sheet to be printed whereby the setting wheel may be adjusted in accordance with the length of sheet to be printed, and latching means cooperating with said indicating means for holding said setting wheel in adjusted position.

4. A printing machine comprising an impression cylinder shaft constantly driven in one direction, a paper feed roller shaft, a mutilated gear wheel loosely mounted on said feed roller shaft,

an intermediate shaft constantly driven by said impression cylinder shaft, a driving connection between said intermediate shaft and said mutilated gear wheel and including a friction clutch for rotating said mutilated gear wheel in one direction during the non-printing period, a second mutilated gear wheel fixed to said intermediate shaft, the teeth of said mutilated gear wheels adapted to mesh during the printing period to rotate thefirst mutilated gear wheel in a direction opposite to its first mentioned direction of rotation, a ratchet wheel fixed to said feed roller shaft, a pawl movable with said first multilated gear wheel and adapted to ride idly over the teeth of said ratchet wheel when the first multilated gear wheel is rotating in its first mentioned direction and to cooperate with the teeth of the ratchet wheel to rotate the latter and the feed roller shaft when the first mutilated gear Wheel is rotated in its second direction, and a setting wheel loosely mounted on said feed roller shaft and having a shrouding ring the position of which with respect to the ratchet wheel determines the length of time the pawl remains in operative connection with teeth mechanism, a feed roller shaft, a multilated gear wheel, a second multilated gear wheel loosely mounted upon said feed roller shaft, driving means between said printing mechanism and said second mutilated gear wheel for rotating i the latter in one direction during the non-printing period, said means including a friction clutch, said first multilated gear wheel being continuously driven by said printing mechanism and adapted during the printing period to mesh with said second multilated gear wheel to overcome the force of said clutch to rotate the second mutilated gear wheel in a direction opposite to its first mentioned direction of rotation, a ratchet wheel fixed to said feed roller shaft, a pawl movable with said 4 i second multilated gear wheel and adapted during the printing period to cooperate with the teeth of the ratchet wheel and thereby rotate the latter to rotate the feed roller shaft to feed the the paper through the machine, disengaging 1 means for moving the pawl out of engagement with the teeth on the ratchet wheel, and a spring controlled plunger associated with said pawl to absorb the shocks incident to the engagement of said pawl with the teeth on the ratchet wheel.

6. A printing machine comprising an impression cylinder shaft constantly driven in one direction, a paper feed roller shaft, a multilated gear wheel loosely mounted on said feed roller shaft, an intermediate shaft constantly driven by said impression cylinder shaft, a driving connection between said intermediate shaft and said multilated gear wheel and including a friction clutch for rotating said mutilated gear wheel in one direction during the non-printing period, a

'second multilated gear wheel fixed to said in- ;tion of rotation, a ratchet wheel fixed to said feed roller shaft, a pawl movable with said first multilated gear wheel and adapted to ride idly over the teeth of said ratchet wheel when the first multilated gear wheel is rotating in its first '1 mentioned direction and to cooperate with the teeth'of the ratchet wheel to rotate the latter and the feed roller shaft when the first mutilated gear wheel is rotated in its second direction, a setting wheel loosely mounted on said feed roller shaft and having a shrouding ring the position of which with respect to the ratchet wheel determines the length of time the pawl remains in operative connection with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, said shrouding ring having a cam surface adapted to engage said pawl at a predetermined time to raise the pawl out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, and retaining means for maintaining said pawl in raised position out of contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheel during the idle return movement of the pawl.

7. A printing machine comprising an impression cylinder shaft constantly driven in one direction, a paper feed roller shaft a mutilated gear wheel loosely mounted on said feed roller shaft, an intermediate shaft constantly driven by said impression cylinder shaft, a driving connection between said intermediate shaft and said mutilated gear wheel and including a friction clutch for rotating said mutilated gear wheel in one direction during the non-printing period, a second mutilated gear wheel fixed to said intermediate shaft, the teeth of said mutilated gear wheels adapted to mesh during the printing period to rotate the first mutilated gear wheel in a direction opposite to its first mentioned direction of rotation, a ratchet wheel fixed to said feed roller shaft, a pawl movable with said first mutilated gear wheel and adapted to ride idly over the teeth of said ratchet wheel when the first mutilated gear wheel is rotating in its first mentioned direction and to cooperate with the teeth of the ratchet wheel to rotate the latter and the feed roller shaft when the first multilated gear wheel is rotated in its second direction, and a setting wheel loosely mounted on said feed roller shaft and having a shrouding ring the position of which with respect to the ratchet wheel determines the length of time the pawl remains in operative connection with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, a pin 120 adapted to project into the path of travel of said pawl and by which said pawl is arrested and carried during its idle return movement, and a cam actuated by the intermediate shaft for operating said pin.

8. A printing machine comprising an impression cylinder shaft constantly driven in one direction, a paper feed roller shaft, a mutilated gear wheel loosely mounted on said feed roller shaft, an intermediate shaft constantly driven 130 by said impression cylinder shaft, a driving connection between said intermediate shaft and said mutilated gear wheel and including a friction clutch for rotating said mutilated gear wheel in one direction during the non-printing period, a 135 second mutilated gear wheel fixed to said intermediate shaft, the teeth of said mutilated gear wheels adapted to mesh during the printing period to rotate the first mutilated gear wheel in a direction opposite to its first mentioned direction 140 of rotation, a ratchet wheel fixed to said feed roller shaft, a pawl movable with said first mutilated gear wheeland adapted to ride idly over the teeth of said ratchet wheel when the first mutilated gear wheel is rotating in its first men- 5 tioned direction and to cooperate with the teeth of the ratchet wheel to rotate the latter and the feed roller shaft when the first mutilated gear wheel is rotated in its second direction, a setting wheel loosely mounted on said feed roller shaft 5g ment, a cam actuated by the intermediate shaft, and an operative connection between said cam and said pin for operating said pin, said cam having a nose cooperating with said operative connection for forcing the teeth of the mutilated gear wheels into mesh.

ARTHUR WILLIAM HARRIES. 

